Abstract

This paper presents the use of GIS in the study of coastal habitats in the Texas Coastal Bend, USA. Coastal habitats have been converted, degraded, or fragmented from both municipal and industrial growth as well as agricultural and ranching practices. The project focuses on developing a GIS using multiple data sources including DEMs from the USGS, Arc coverages from the Texas Department of Transportation, and TM Land Use Coverages from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Mosaics of as many as 30 quarterquad DEMs are used for basemap and elevation data, and Esri's Water Resources extension is used to develop stream data and watershed delineation. The GIS is being used to analyze restoration options within a potential mitigation bank site to educate citizens within the watershed and to develop long-term monitoring strategies. Other uses include identifying riparian habitat restoration options within both a watershed and subwatershed scale.